Olive et Gourmando

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Sun - Fri 8am - 5pm

Sat 8am - 6pm

Olive et Gourmando

This perennially popular bakery and sandwich spot can feel somewhat out of place. With its cozy atmosphere in a plant-filled space, and its menu of warm panini, delicious sandwiches on artisanal breads, generous salads, and perfectly executed pastries, it is the sort of restaurant you'd expect to find in one of Montréal's cooler neighborhoods. Instead, it's in the heart of Old Montréal. That is a definite plus for travelers visiting the city's historic sights. It also means, however, that there is a lunch-hour rush when nearby office workers vie for tables. If you can plan on an early or late lunch—you're on vacation, after all—you can avoid the worst of the crowd. Olive et Gourmando is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., so if you are looking for a place for dinner, the same owners are behind the new Foxy (in the Griffintown neighborhood), which is quickly proving as popular as their first restaurant.

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Baked Goods.

Table for one

When the rain postponed my plans for a day trip to Quebec City, I knew exactly what to do with my morning. I grabbed my umbrella and made my way to one of Montreal’s buzziest dining destinations.

Tucked away in Old Montreal on Rue Saint-Paul, you’ll find the charming Olive et Gourmando. There’s a reason why this bakery and café scores high marks with just about everyone. With a wide selection of mouth-watering pastries lining the counter, the restaurant also serves paninis, cold sandwiches and soups. The food is beyond superb, the staff friendly and attentive. There's just a warm atmosphere to the place that makes dining alone--not really alone. Even when the lunchtime crowds started piling up in the small waiting area and seemingly out the door, I never felt rushed at my tiny table for two, but I did take two pastries to go.

Olive et Gourmando

This perennial favorite is a winner not only for the warm, welcoming vibe of its Rue Saint-Paul location, but for the delights it feeds its patrons. Think creative salads, cold sandwiches or hot panini, including their take on the Reuben, called the Reubenesque: Schwartz’s smoked meat, house-made sauerkraut with apples, aged cheddar and their special mustard. Or, for the less meat-inclined, the Viva Las Vegan, featuring roasted marinated tofu, dill pickles, caramelized onion hummus, tomato, crushed green olives and arugula. Either calls for a fresh-baked cookie or one of their famous brownies for dessert.